The places that made black history, in Richmond and Oakland

To commemorate Black History Month, the news teams from Richmond Confidential and our sibling site, Oakland North, spent a morning observing some of the spaces in our two cities that have been important to the East Bay’s black community—past and present.

With notebooks and cameras in hand, our reporters scattered to 14 sites. Each person sat quietly for one hour, capturing the scene and speaking with anyone who happened across their path.

We chose an ordinary Monday in February, starting at 11 am. Nothing special was planned for this time: no marches, no community breakfasts, no classes, no meetings—none of the big events that helped put these spots on history’s map. Instead, it was just a moment to appreciate how these spaces are woven into the fabric of the East Bay and how they remain a part of each city’s changing landscape.

Use the map below to see where each site is located in Oakland or Richmond, and the slider below it to scroll through the historic spots you can explore.

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Richmond Confidential is an online news service produced by the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism for, and about, the people of Richmond, California. Our goal is to produce professional and engaging journalism that is useful for the citizens of the city.

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Richmond Confidential is an online news service produced by the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism for, and about, the people of Richmond, California. Our goal is to produce professional and engaging journalism that is useful for the citizens of the city.